Neil and Mark Farrow at London College of Communication.

[Patrick Bateman]

It really made me appreciate Eric Watson all the more. I still prefer a lot of the earlier imagery in which there is a tension between Neil and Chris's stasis and the natural environments in which they are located.

In one way they were forced to become more abstract in the latter part of the career because they wanted to hide behind abstraction, just as in the 1990s they hid within costumes and wigs.

[Sandy Shaw]

I have a wonderful memory of Neil turning around to look at Robert Mapplethorpe's "Self Portrait with Whip" before they showed Mapplethorpe's photograph of PSB. Neil said that Mapplethorpe almost hypnotized his subjects by repeatedly asking them to move forward or back or to the right or left a fraction! The Boys do look a little spaced out in the photo!

In the Q and A, the interviewer asked a question from Wolfgang Tillmans about the origin of the title for Rent. Neil confirmed that it was provocative and had come from "rent boys". He didn't then go on to tell how the song is written from a kept woman's point of view, (which it is) but said that the challenge was to write a love song with a hard title.

[Trixiemix]

What a great night! I immediately got a nod of recognition from Neil as he sat down.
It was great shaking hands with him afterward and also seeing so many friends. Great evening all round.

[Tom Angel]

This evening in a nutshell:

Suburbia is the best sleeve
New Order wanted the Introspective sleeve
The full stop on behaviour is pretentious.


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haha! Love the synopsis. Didn't know New Order wanted Introspective. For Technique? And I agree re: Suburbia. Probably my favourite video too

[Sandy Shaw]

Neil commented that it was hard work being in the Pet Shop Boys, and both he and Mark brought up issues of quality control and integrity. He wouldn't spill the beans on any run inswith EMI over decisions, saying that in the early days as they had sold so many records, it was easy to get a cover design approved. Neil did say that he didn't think they had been paid for 50 million records sold, although this may have been a joke, as the sales figure came from EMI!

The Behaviour sleeve was shown, the inspiration for the roses was seeing a picture of Judy Garland with a similar bunch at Liza's apartment. Chris didn't want his face photographed the day of the Behaviour shoot, Mark said that it wasn't just a case of Chris asking for the back of his head to be photographed.

I think we got through the whole session without the word "iconic" being used, although it was mentioned that Chris in his Boy cap was pretty much their "brand" image at one point.

[karnsculpture]

One funny moment was when Neil talked about he and Chris wondering if Mapplethorpe would get them to do anything unusual in their photo session (the "self portrait with whip" image was just on screen).

When the sleeve for "I Get Along" was shown the host said this was his work I thought (?). He seems to have worked at the design agency employed during the Release era. Who was he?

Very interesting evening, went far too quickly!

[Sandy Shaw]

One funny moment was when Neil talked about he and Chris wondering if Mapplethorpe would get them to do anything unusual in their photo session (the "self portrait with whip" image was just on screen).

When the sleeve for "I Get Along" was shown the host said this was his work I thought (?). He seems to have worked at the design agency employed during the Release era. Who was he?

Very interesting evening, went far too quickly!

Indeed!

I can just see the headlines had the Mapplethorpe session gone differently "Bare faced cheek of Pet Shop Boys" etc

[tottenhammattspurs]

The beautiful Lily Cole!

[JSDOUVRES]

It was an excellent night all round, incredibly interesting, another hour would have been nice though to be honest, no mention of the Before "Penis" sleeve either, would have been a good question at the end actually!

[agent doris]

This evening in a nutshell:

Suburbia is the best sleeve
New Order wanted the Introspective sleeve
The full stop on behaviour is pretentious.


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haha! Love the synopsis. Didn't know New Order wanted Introspective. For Technique? And I agree re: Suburbia. Probably my favourite video too

Yes, for Technique. They came in with exactly the same idea!


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[Remark]

It was an excellent night all round, incredibly interesting, another hour would have been nice though to be honest, no mention of the Before "Penis" sleeve either, would have been a good question at the end actually!

Haha I almost asked about that sleeve during the Q&A!

- Remark
www.remarkcentral.com

[PETHEAD72]

Sounds like it was a great night!,i unfortunately had to cancel my booking ,was it packed?,did many people attend outwith the london area?,and who was lucky enough to ask a question?!

[Patrick Bateman]

There were a lot of Japanese girls there, which is always nice.

[dio2005]

Did anyone manage to record the audio of this event? I'd love to hear it.

[PETHEAD72]

You naughty boy doris!,i'm sure i read strictly no photo's!....is that coz you are a special agent!